Chapter 18
Section 18 of Curiosities of Literature, Volume 1. This is a LibriVax recording. All LibriVax recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVax.org. Recording by Anusha Ayer Curiosities of Literature, Volume 1 by Isaac Disraeli
Fame Contempt All men are fond of glory, and even those philosophers who write against that noble passion prefix their names to their own works. It is worthy of observation that the authors of two religious books universally received have concealed their names from the world. The imitation of Christ is attributed, without any authority, to Thomas A. Kempis, and the author of The Whole Duty of Man still remains undiscovered.
Millions of their books have been dispersed in the Christian world. To have revealed their names would have given them as much worldly fame as any moralist has obtained, but they contemned it. Their religion was raised above all worldly passions. Some profane writers, indeed, have also concealed their names to great works, but their motives were of a very different caste.
